Flooded horizontal refrigerating coil



Feb. 9 i926.

Filed April 2 1925 E S HALSEY FLOODED HORIZONTAL REFRIGERATING COILPatented Feb. 9, 1926.

, n'nwannj s.'fH.4i1'.snY or wasnfnveron, premier on co easm; assmaoaoran;- i

,inmnroinorcnja; BUEsSQ fQF'WASHINGTON,"DISTRIGT CQLUMBIA a a,

v *FLOODED HOBIZONTAL nnrmennarmecom' Application filed April- 25, 1925.Serial No. 25,827. Y

To all whom, it may concern f i 7 Be it known t-hat I. EDWARD HALsEr,

acitizen of the United States, residing atlVashington, in the District,of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inFlooded Horizontal Refrigerating Coils, of which the following is aspecification.

The nature of my invention is an elongated horizontally disposedrefrigerating coil unit constituted by a compact, continuous series ofpipe convolutions preferably .in'the form of a spirallywounddielix, theends of which pipe connect with a common float chamber, one of said pipeends "entering below the floatcontrolledrefrigerant liquid level and the-=.other end connect-ing at a higher point preferably above the liquidlevel. so that the v liquid-can-enter the lower end of pipe by gravitywithin the lower branch of the pipe and adjacent to the liquidentranceis provided; a [sensitive floating check valve, so that as soonas ebullition is established by the starting up of. a connectedcompressor-condenser unit (not shown) the agitation from "the expansionand intermittent recessionsof the gas pressure in the lower branch ofthe pipe will chatter the valve intermittently, seating it and forcing"the gas and liquid-through the successive convolutionsof thefpipe coiland thence back into the upper portion of the float chamber by anintermittent pumping action.

Formerly-it has not-been? found feasible to operate long'pipe coilsformed in aseries ofla-teral convolutions from a flooded chamberlofconstant level on account of the air or, gas-trapping action of eachconvolution, especially soiwhen the top; end of any one of all;convolutions-- extend above, the liquid level maintainedzby;thee-float. For this reason :in commercial applications of the flood?system it has been necessary to form. the refrigerating loops below theliquid level, and 'lead' fi'equenkgas vents .from them. up to the:fioa-trchamberr: ,"III spite of: this dis-Z advantage,-;=theflOOdSYStGHIalIZIS certain deided advantages ov'er that of theexpansion. v alvesystem of -.continnous- 1ilowpressure; such as theutilization of a lo.wpressure controlsli-ighenxa'vel age'zefliciency andmore rapidfidepressiomofwtemperatur: ,1;

vTl-ie .iobjec-tsf of: theaprresent::invention are to provideanreificient and symmetricallong and' slender. horizontal refrigeratingr coil; onv

'ing aconventional float-controlled valve V the flood system tosupply anurgent need. for various commercial installations in which .no presentknown form of cooling. unit is well adapted or possible of application,such as glass display counters now iced from long, slender ice troughsacross the full length at the back of glassvdisplay' counters. Further,the invention contemplates a unit which can be suspended close to thetop and extend the full length ofthe counter and v which may be providedwith a drain trough attached so aswto make attractive displaywithoutinterference with the food display space beneath it. v Furtherobjects, arethe' provision of long unitsadaptable to market boxes inwhich .an overhead ice bunker extendsthe entire length of the box andinto which one or more of the coils can be suspended across the top orto one side, leaving adequate space for the storage of food or ice.

Still further objects are, economical 0011- struction and theconvenience of designing flat wall coils or frosted coil pipe words forwindow display.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation partly in section of my preferred form ofrefrigerating coil unit. I

t Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail View of the inlet end of the pipe inwhich the check valve is located.

Fig. {3 is a section on line 3-3, of Figure 1, and I v v Fig. 4 is aside elevation of a modification of my invention in which thepipe coilis laid in a fiat plane.

Referring in detail, to the drawing, C represents a cylindrical floatchamber havoperated by the. levenfloat F.. This float valve is;fedtromhthe compressor; through the liquid line indicated-wand thergasirom this chamber-is exhausted-by a; compressor -Sh n)" ne te -w egasout et pip designated on the drawing. This-portion of. the apparatusis nowemployed lay-the com mercial machine known as Frigidaire ,gIncarrying, out-tiny impr vements I empl y for .my 1 preferred 1construction the :helically coiled: pipe 1, the lower ibranch; e dQiiylhich. returns" .within' the convolutions; of the coils to the floatchamber-below thejgliquid leytel: determinediby :the'floatas indioa-tedatf 2. The other. end; 10f; .CQil; .enteifsthe} float.

seated or unseated. Thevalve seat may be formed by a union joint betweenthe seat and pin to provide convenient inspection or replacement of theball. The "helical coil is made rigid and secured to the float chamber'by means of three spaced rods 8 soldered respectively to eachconvolution of the coil.

Soldered to the lower horizontal branch of the coil is a heat-absorbingfin 7 of sheet copper soldered to the coil by a series of lugs 9. Thefunction of this heat-absorbing fin is to concentrate the transmissionof heat to the lower liquid filled 'branch of the coil at its points ofjuncture therewith, thereby concentrating and accelerating ebullition atthese points. The metal drip trough 10, desirable if the coil issuspended directly over produce on display and being attached by copperstraps making intimate thermal contact to the coil, it also acts: as aheat absorbing surface to augment or substitute the effect of thatof fin7 just described. From this construction it is obvious that at eachspasmodic expansion of gas in this lower branch the check will be closedand a portion of its liquidcontents will be discharged with gas into oneof the succeeding convolutions and upon a recession of each gasconvulsion the ball will be unseated, allowing a new portion of li uidto pass the check valve, thus establis ing a repeating intermittentpumping action and consequent circulation throughout the coil, therebydischarging any air or gas that may accumulate in the upper portion ofthe pipe convolutions into the float chamber, from whence they arewithdrawn by the come pressor in a continuous cycle.

The modification shown by Figure 4 is introduced to indicate that thecoils may be made up into various shapes, such as word writing or flatcoils, as may be desired.

Also the coils ma be wound of larger diameter than the oat chamber andthe float chamber be enveloped by the convolutions of the coil, and isobviously subject to many other modifications.

,What I claim is: I

1. An evaporator comprising a refrigerating float chamber; means formaintaining a constant refrigerant level in such chamber; arefrigerating coil having a series of traps extending outwardl from saidchamber in a closed circuit t erewith; one end of said coil connectingtosaid chamber be:

low the liquid level therein and its other end entering said chamberabove the liquid level; a check valve in the coil adapted to restrictflow of the liquid in one direction;

a liquid supply pipe connected to said chamber, and means for conductingvaporized refrigerant from said chamber whereby the continuous exhaustof vapor from said chamber w1ll.cause spasmodic convulsive ebullition inthe lower portion of each succeeding tra of said circuit withintermittent seating and unseating'of said valve to cause Hour of allalternate slugs of liquid and gas throughout said closed circuit in acontinuous flow. a

2. An evaporator comprising a refrigerating float chamber; means formaintaining a constant refrigerant level in such chamber; a continuousconduit having a series of traps extending outwardly from said chamberand having an end connected to said chamber below the liquid leveltherein and having a second end connected to said chamber above the liuid ,level, movable means to restrict flow o the fluid in one directionthrough the conduit, and means for conducting vaporized refrigerant fromsaid chamber to effect spasmodic convulsive ebullition'of liquid in theconduit with intermittent movement of said restricting means to effectflow of alternate slugs of liquid and gas throughout the conduit in acontinuous 3. An evaporator comprising a refrigerating float chamber;means for maintaining a constant refrigerant level in such chamber; arefrigerating coil having a series of traps extending outwardly.) fromsaid chamber in a closedcircuit, therewith; one end of said coilconnecting to said chamber below the liquid level therein and its' otherend entering said chamber above the liquid level; a check valve in thecoil adapted to restrict flow of the liquid in one direction; a liquidsupply ipe connected to said chamber, means or conducting vaporizedrefrigerant from said" chamber whereby the continuous exhaust of vaporfrom said chamber will cause spasmodic convulsive ebullition in thelower portion of each succeeding convolution of said circuitwithintermittent seating and "unseating tion at parts of' a rcfrigoratisaid chamber and having an end connected to said chamber below theliquid level therein and having a second end connected to said chamberabove the liquid-level, movable means to restrict flow of the fluid inone direction through the conduit, and means for conducting va from saidchamber-to e ect spasmodic convulsive ebullition of liquid in theconduit with intermittent movement of said restricting means to effectflow of alternate slugs of liquid and gas throughout the con- 'duit in acontinuous flow, and heat-absorbing means associated with the conduit toeffect heating of the liquid and thereby ac-.

celerate ebullition.

5; evaporator comprising a refrigerating float chamber; means formaintaininga constant refrigerant level; in such chamber; a continuous,conduit having. a

.series of traps extending outwardly from' said chamber and having anend connected to said chamber below the liquid level therein and havinga second end connected to said chamber above the .liquid level, movablemeans to restrict flow of the fluid in one direction, through theconduit, means- -"for conducting vzgm ri'zed-refrigerant from saidchamber to e ect asmodic convulsive ebullition of liquidin t e conduitwith .in-

terniittent movement of said restricting- -means to efiect flow ofalternate slugs of liquid and gas throughout the conduit in acontinuous'flow, and. a combined drip collector and heat absorbing meansassociated with the conduit.

6. An evaporator comprising arefrigerating float -chamber; means formaintaim ing .a constant refrigerant level in such chamber; a continuousconduit having a series of traps extending outwardly {from said chamberand having an end connected rized refrigerant "pended in a body 0 platedispose 'in and having a second end connected to said chamber above theliquid level, movable means to restrict flow of the fluid in onedirection through the conduit, means for conducting vaporizedrefrigerant from said chamber to eifeet spasmodic convulsive ebullitionof liquid in the conduit with intermittent movement of said restrictingmeans to effect flow of alternate\ slugs of liquid and gas throughoutthe conduit in a continuous flow, and a combined drip collector and heatabsorbing means thermally connected to'the' conduit at a plurality ofspaced points so as to accentuate convulsive ebullition at suchconcentrated points.

7. In combination with a refrigerating unit, a refrigerating eva oratingduct.conne'cted therewith ada te to be freely susvertically di osed.cuprous heat absorbing close and substantially parallel to said ductand in intimate thermal contact with said duct at a plurality of pointsalong its length, whereby the heat;

absorption creased. 7

8. In combination with a refrigerating unit, a refrigerant evaporatingduct connected therewith, and arranged to facilitate a free downwardcirculation of air past it, a relatively wide and vertically dlsposedmetal heat absorbing fin arranged parallel property of said duct isindownward convection currents of the surrounding air, the absorption ofheattherefrom and to'increase egaporation of the refrigerant in' thertion of. said duct ifaihermally united with said heat absorbing n.

In testimon whereof I afiix m signature. y EDWARD S. H ALSEY.

airto be cooled, a

with and soldered to said duct to accentuate

